The sigh sauce factory

A fragrant and fascinating exploration of Phu Quoc’s main industry.Throughout history, the Vietnamese have sought cultural autonomy from their dominant neighbor to the north – china. Nuoc Mam (fish sauce) has become an important symbol of the country’s individuality and independence – while much of china is far from the sea and therefore relies on soy sauce to flavor its dishes, Vietnam embraces fish sauce and uses it in almost every dish.
PhuQuoc’sNuoc Mam is of such quality and prestige that the manufacturers on the island have fought a long legal battle to protect the name“Phu Quoc Fish sauce” in the same way as cognac or champagne is protected under law. Only a particular species of “long jaw” anchovy is suitable for making Nuoc Mam and these are painstakingly sorted by hand when the catch is brought ashore from the shallow waters around the island.